Democracy after the Iron Curtain: A Work in Progress

On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and Central and Eastern Europeans were freed from the constraints of communism. Twenty years later, the world that President Obama inherited from Ronald Reagan’s legacy is profoundly changed. Those suffering under planned economies and the denial civil rights are now living in free market economies and democracies. On the twentieth anniversary of this historic day Obama was absent. Instead, he sent his Secretary of State to Berlin in his place. Dr. Nile Gardiner points out that the administration added further insult to injury when Secretary Clinton ended her speech with a tribute to President Obama’s commitment to diversity and breaking down barriers to discrimination. Displaying an air of indifference and narcissism in no way endears Central and Eastern Europe to the United States.

Perhaps Obama should pay more attention to America’s greatest European allies in their unfinished quest for equality and prosperity. In the wake of the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, The Pew Global Attitudes Project released their report, “Two Decades after the Wall’s Fall: End of Communism Cheered but Now with More Reservations.” The report reveals that those people of “former Iron Curtain countries generally look back approvingly at the collapse of communism” and the majorities of people in most former Soviet republics and Eastern European countries endorse the emergence of multiparty systems and a free market economy.” However, since 1991 when the original survey was conducted, “the initial widespread enthusiasm about these changes has dimmed in most of the countries surveyed.”

Sally McNamara of The Heritage Foundation analyzed the report saying that, on the whole, public opinion in Eastern and Central Europe reflects a “good news story” but “it is clear that satisfaction is not evenly spread.” Democratic aspirations are most prevalent among the younger generation and future leaders. This is why democracy promotion cannot be ignored. In order for younger generations and future leaders to lead their countries to prosperity, it is necessary for the United States to foster their democratic beliefs. According to McNamara, as Obama’s “approval ratings have taken a bit of a beating in central and Eastern Europe” now is not the time to take the region for granted nor should he assume that the victory achieved twenty years ago is a done deal.

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Inefficiences, ignorance and ideological dementia embodied in the present reigning monarch should cause Americans to rethink the section of the Constitution that allows for a president. This position is no longer required for government to stay open, provide adequate services, manage a military and see to the needs of its population. Contrary to the founding fathers conclusions that necessitated a core individual to sit on a democratic throne the allusion of this position's worth does not mesh with the destructive realities that have been fronted by the recently elected sovereign. America can do better without master plans, five year goals, Social Darwinism and Oligarchical manias that have placed America in technical bankruptcy.Our best and brightest can derive a solution to the antiquated position of the presidency which has brought this present generation closer to Armageddon than in the history of mankind. Otherwise we will be the pallbearers at our own funerals.

President Obama should pay more attention to matters all around the world, but remember that the president is only human and cannot do everything at once. Obama has a lot on his plate, and the next item on his agenda is his upcoming visit to China. There's been a lot of commotion in the Asian region, and lots of issues need to be discussed during his trip. Have you read Asia Chronicle? The site provides in-depth analyses on the various issues facing Asian countries, and Obama will definitely have to tackle some of them. http://www.asiachroniclenews.com

Why is it that the democrats need a socialist agenda to thrive. The ones doing the business of growing our businesses and country are TOLD, we have to carry them. Get off you a— and get to work. You work you eat. Welfare is not a way of life as the democrats have led you to believe. Where is the pride of being an AMERICAN?

I live by the sweat of my brow. My business will be closed at the mention of.union.

I find it a terrible shame that President Ronld Reagan was all but ignored at the 20th anniversity of the fall of the Berlin Wall. If it had not been for President Regans challenge of Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the wall the President of Germany would still be a East German and yet she ignored him. What a terrible shame.

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